Starting and stopping device for talking-machines



M. MURRAY.

STARTING AND STOPPING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. I916.

1,334,783. Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAXWELL MURRAY, or THE UNITED srnrns ARMY,

STARTING AND STOPPING DEVICE FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAXWELL MURRAY, first lieutenant, U. S Coast Artillery Corps, now stationed at Vest Point, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Starting and Stopping Devices for Talking Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to talking machines, and more particularly to the means for automatically startingand stopping the same.

It is an object of this invention to automatically start the rotary movement of the record support together with the record thereon when the arm carrying the sound producing device is moved to bring the needle into position at the beginning of the vibration producing groove of the record, and thus preventing one fromplacing the needle at the beginning of the groove before the record is set into motion. Then the needle is in engagement with the record be fore the latter is put into motion or reaches its full speed a scratching, displeasing tone is emitted and by automatically starting the record before the needle engages the same such effect is eliminated.

It is a further object ofthe invention to automatically stop the rotation of the record together with the operation of the driving mechanism when the needle has reached the end of the vibration ')roducing groove in the record, so that the record will not continue to run permitting the needle to make a scratching unpleasing tone and the likelihood of defacing or injuring the record and needle is also obviatec.

i I provide a very efficient device which is adapted to automatically start and stop the record without manually manipulating a brake or touching thedevice in any way, the operation of placing the needle on the record at the proper point being all that is required to start the playing mechanism, and as the machine stops automatically without any manual operation, one can start the record and allow the same to play until the end of the vibration producing groove is reached without paying any further attention to the same.

The device may be manufactured at a relatively low cost and being simple in constructien ,operation the likelihood of Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lVIar. 23, 1920. Application filed March 20, 1916.

Serial No. 85,331.

getting out of order is reduced to a minimum.

The above and other objects of my invention are obtained by the structure described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional view disclosing-so much of a talking machine as is necessary to show the application of my invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view taken 011 line 5-5, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the collar about the sounder arm for justing the brake mechanism.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts in the several views, 10 is the top of the body portion of a talking machine, it being understood that the body portion thereof and the driving mechanism contained within the same may be of any suitable well-known construction. 11 designates the record carrying member which, in the present embodiment, is disclosed as a turn-table or revolving plate mounted on a central pin 12 which is rotated by the driving mechanism, as is usual. The plate 11 has a depending flange or annular ring 13about its periphery which is adapted to be engaged by the brake mechanism hereinafter described. Pivotally mounted on the body portion 10 of the. sound-producing machine is a sounder-arm 14L of any suitable construction carrying at its outer end the sound-pr0ducing device or soundbox 15, having the usual needle 16 adapted to engage the vibration- )roducing groove of the record during the playing of the latter. The sound-producing boX is pivotally connected to the sounderarm 14- by a pivotal connection 17 to permit the sound box to beswung upwardly and thus allow placing of the record upon the disk support and the sounder arm to swing laterally without damage to the record by the needle.

Referring to the drawing, 18 designates the brake lever which, in the present instance, is in the form of a crank lever, and the same is mounted to the underside of a top plate 10 of the talking machine by a pin 19. The top plate 10 is provided with a slot or aperture 25 immediately beneath the edge of the disk-carrying plate 11, and opening or aperture 26 adjacent the sounder-arm. .One end 27 of the brake lever 18' is turned upwardly andis adapted to reciprocate in the slot 25 and this upturned end carries a brake shoe 20 which is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with'the internal circumference of the annular flange or ring 13 of the record-carrying'platell, The other end 28 of the lever is also turned upwardly and operates in a slot 26 and carries a finger-engaging memberor handle 29, and also a lug or projection 30:

Adjustably mounted ,on the vertical portion of the sounder arm 1a is a collar 31 having a boss'or elongated abutment 32 on its outer periphery which is adapted to engage the lug 30 of the brake-lever heretofore described, to swing the brake lever and move the brake shoe away from the disk-carrying plate when it is desired to'play the record. In the present instanee,.I, provide the collar with a tubular extension 33 in which is lo cated a friction plug 3 L adapted to engage at its inner end against the sounder arm and having a stem 85 on' the outer end of which is an operating handle or knob 36. A spring and spring in place;

37 is placed about the stem to urge the frietion plug against the sounder arm to prevent rotation of the collar, and a cap-nut 88 is screw-threadedabout the outer end of the tubular projection 33 to retain the plug It will be seen that the mechanism hereinbefore described may be adjusted to stop the device at the desired point, thus permitting records of any size and containing any length of groove'to be played. The length of the cam '32 will, of course, be properly proportioned to the are of movement of the needle when used on the largest size record for which the machine is adapted. The collar 31 is adjusted or set by placing the needle at the end of the vibration-producing groove of the record, and after releasing the friction plug or clamp (Baby pulling on the knob 36 the collar is rotated until the end ofthe abutment or boss 32 isbrought into engagement with the lug30of the brake lever as shown inFig. 3. The sounder-arm is then moved laterally and outwardly to bringthe needle into engagementwith the vibration producing groove, and as the col.- lar 31 movestherewith,the abutment or boss 32 on the collar engages the lug 30 of the brake-lever swinging the latter, against the tension of spring 21', about. a pivot and forcing the brakeshoe 20'away from the ring 13 of the disk-carrying plate, and thus permitting rotation ,of the plate and the disk thereon. When the needle reaches the end" or. the v groove, the sounder-arm has moved intosuch position that the boss 32 is 'movedout'oflalinement with thelug 80 permitting-,4 t tter t9. ng. n d y toward'the sounder arm and thus bring the brake-shoe 20 into engagement with the turn-table and stopping rotation of the latter.

It will be noted that in the embodiment of my invention herein set forth a single brake lever is provided which performs the twofold function of releasing the record support to allow rotation of the same, and of stopping the support when the record has been played. The movement of the sounderarm is transmitted to the brake-lever in such manner that when the sounder-arm is moved laterally to a point where the needle may be placed upon the beginning of the vibrationproducing groove, the brake will be automatically released and the driving mechanism allowed to operate. The arrangement is such that the brake shoe is withdrawn from the flange of the record-carrying plate upon the initial outward movement of the sounder-arm, and, therefore, before the sounder-arm is brought into position where the needle is in alinement with the beginning of the groove and thus sufficient time is allowed to elapse during the outward swinging movementof the sounder arm to permit the record to gain sufiicient speed to eliminate the scratching effect and discord which would otherwise be producedif the needle were brought into engagement with the groove before the disk had gained its proper speed.

It is, of course, obvious that my invention may be applied to various styles of talking machines, and, therefore, my invention is susceptible of various modifications and changes which would be within the spirit of my invention without departing from the scope of the. following claims.

What I claimis:

1. In a sound producing machine, the combination of a rotaryrecord support, a brake normally engaging said support to prevent rotation thereof, a swinging sounder arm, and means adjustable about the axis of movement ofsaid arm relative to both said arm and brake and adapted to be moved by said arm to release the brake when the arm is positioned to coeperate with the beginning of the vibration producing groove of a record on said support and to maintain the brake in such inoperativeposition while the arm is positioned to coepcrate with said groove. 7

2. In a sound producing machine, the combination of a rotary record support, a brake normally engaging said support to prevent rotation thereof, a swinging sounder arm, a ring surrounding said arm and adjustable about the axis thereof, means movable radially of said ring for locking it against movement relative to the sounder arm, and a member carried by the ring and adapted torelease the brake when the arm is positioned to coeperate with the beginning of the vibration producing groove of a record on said support and to maintain the brake in such inoperative position While the arm is positioned to cooperate with said groove.

3. In a sound producing machine, a rotary record support, a bell-crank lever, a spring for urging one end of said lever against said support to normally maintain said support against rotation, a sounder arm, a ring rotatably mounted on said arm, an abutment on said ring for engaging said lever to with draw the same from said support, a tubular extension on said ring, a friction plug in. said extension, and a spring in said extension for urging said plug against said arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MAXWVELL MURRAY.

Witnesses THEO. J. I-IIoKs, P. T. TRACY. 

